I recently added the Liquidator

[Flexman]

I recently added the Liquidator to my 20,000 gal pool. I have a two speed pump that operates 24/7. Pump runs 20 hours a day at 1750 and for 4 hours it runs at 3450. While running at 1750, the little black ball is about 2 on the little indicator and when it bumps up to 3450, it goes up to 3. Here is my question. I read on one of the threads where a pool owner stated he was using about 20 oz of bleach a day. So for a couple of weeks now, everyone morning I add 20 oz of bleach to the Liquidator and it seems to be working ok on maintaining the proper amount of clorine in the pool. I am using Haas 12% clorine and I'm wondering if by running the pump 24/7 that if I put in say two gallons of Clorine at once that it will pump it on through and over clorinate and use up all that two gallons in a day or two? Should I tweek the pass through valve down to one and that way it will make the two gallons last a week or so?
What I really want is to be able to put more than dailey 20 oz of Clorine in and let it run for a few days and add 2 more gallons. I plan on being out of town for a week and need the ability to put enough Clorine in to last til I return home. Need some advice how to utilize this Liquidator to the fullest.

 

[Flexman]

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/82083-I-recently-added-the-Liquidator

Do you use this in conjunction with the valve supplied with the Liquidator? Or did you remove the supplied valve? How does it fit in the line? What size did you get? When you say you get about a week with 12% clorine, how many gallons did you put into the Liquidator at one time to get that duration? How many hours a day tdo you run your pump? Using this little valve, what setting did you adjust it too? Where do you run the little black ball in the indicator? Sorry for all the questions, but want to get the max benifit of using the Liquidator.

 

[Flexman]

Re: Liquidator math

Are you running your pump 24/7? I have a two speed pump that runs @ 1750 for 20 hours a day, so there is always flow and Clorine being introduced into the system. At present, I add 20 oz of clorine every morning and the Liquidator looks almost clear when I add the Clorine and I can see the yellow form at the bottom.I have been reluctant to add a gallon or two at a time because I thought it would pull all of it out in a day or so and over clorinate. Should I be running the pump less time?

As far as determining run times before refilling the liquidator I have kept good records of when I filled and how much each time. I also record the liquidator rotometer setting and TC in the pool. Putting that all together I know that this time of year I set the rotometer at 3.75 and that will put out about 1.75 - 2.0 quarts of 10.5% chlorine per day and maintain a TC of 4.0. So that makes it pretty simple to keep from running out of Chlorine - I just add 5.0 gal every 10 days and that keeps about a 2 gallon reserve in the tank in case I'm gone or forget to add any on time.

 

[Flexman]

Re: Liquidator math

I live in Houston area and bought the Haas Liquidator a few weeks back. Just so happens that Haas has come to Texas and has a plant in Bryan Texas making 12% Clorine. I have found one pool service company that does an exchange program for Haas. What are folks paying for 10-12% Clorine in general? I found some 10% Clorine at Lowes but I wonder how fresh it might be compared to the Haas Clorine? What on average do folks spend on Clorine a month using the Liquidator?

 

[Flexman]

Re: Liquidator math

The other morning, I added my 20 oz of Clorine and as it went down into the black funnel and flowed out into the bottom, I noticed what looked like cotton/white stuff moving around down there. What could that be? Seems it is heavy and stays down on the bottom. I bought a pump that operates with a drill and am going to put a hose down on the bottom and suck that white powdery looking stuff out. Anyone else see this in their Liquidator?

 

[laprjns]

Re: Liquidator math

Do you use this in conjunction with the valve supplied with the Liquidator? Or did you remove the supplied valve?

Yes I use the supplied valve as an on / off valve in line with the pinch valve.

How does it fit in the line? What size did you get?

I have 3/8 inch lines so I bought the 5/16 - 3/8 valve.

When you say you get about a week with 12% clorine, how many gallons did you put into the Liquidator at one time to get that duration?

Around 4 gallons.

How many hours a day to you run your pump?

7 -8 hours during the day (~10 am to 5 pm). BTW, I have a single speed pump.

Using this little valve, what setting did you adjust it too?

After initial adjustments to get to my target FC, it settle in at between 3 and 4 on the dial.

Where do you run the little black ball in the indicator?

My flow indicator had a crack in it when I opened the pool for the season so I haven't been using it,

I haven't been very scientific about setting up my Liquidator. At the beginning of the season I just filled the liquidator up with 4 or 5 gallons of 12.5 chlorine, set up a nominal flow rate with the pinch valve and then made changes to the pinch valve setting based on my FC. For the first couple of days I checked at least twice a day to make sure I wasn't over or under chlorinating, then switch to testing once a day in the evening until I constantly hit around 5 ppm FC.

 

[laprjns]

Re: Liquidator math

What are folks paying for 10-12% Clorine in general?

I pay $2.99 a gallon for 12.5% at Ocean State Job Lot (they have stores are New England and New York State).

What on average do folks spend on Clorine a month using the Liquidator?

The use of a Liquidator shouldn't make any difference on how much chlorine is need to properly sanitize your pool

 

[laprjns]

Re: Liquidator math

The other morning, I added my 20 oz of Clorine...

You need to re-read the Liquidator Start Up Procedure again, 20 oz isn't anywhere near enough chlorine for the Liquidator to operate properly. There should be a minimum of a 2 inch deep chlorine bed at the bottom of the Liquidator at all time.

...and as it went down into the black funnel and flowed out into the bottom,..

As it should. Chlorine is heavier than water, so it will sink to the bottom of the Liquidator and form a bed of chlorine. As I said this bed should never be least than two inches deep nor should it be higher than the top of the white extension on the drop tube.

I noticed what looked like cotton/white stuff moving around down there. What could that be? Seems it is heavy and stays down on the bottom.

On page five of my Liquidator Instruction Manual it says the following

Inert mineral salts and containment's will fall out of the solution into the bottom of THE LIQUIDATOR and slowly build up as liquid pool chlorine is dispensed by the unit.

I bought a pump that operates with a drill and am going to put a hose down on the bottom and suck that white powdery looking stuff out.

Frankly I don't think you shoukld screw with this. Just set up the Liquidator per the instructions and then go about getting it dial in to give you consistent FC level day to day. Once you've done this then you can begin to address any issues that may come up.

Anyone else see this in their Liquidator?

I certainly get a build up of a white substance at the bottom of my Liquidator which I clean out at the end of the pool year. The instruct says to clean it out if it reaches 2 inches in depth. Mine doesn't get anywhere near that depth.

 

[laprjns]

Re: Liquidator Installation

Fleman, You should really start your own topic on how to setup your liquidator instead of spreading around your questions in several other topics. Maybe one of the mods could move your question to its own topic and include you questions and my responses from this topic http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/80978-Liquidator-math?p=702833#post702833

Various topics split/merged. JasonLion

 

[Flexman]

Re: Liquidator math

Where I am confused is that I run 24/7 and only run high speed for 4 hours of that a day. That being considered, seems like I would be able to really lower that flow as it runs all the time unlike where you only run 7-8 hours a day. I have the floats set on the two floats and when I try to add a gallon or more at a time, the whole level comes up. Guess I just need to go slow? Would it be proper that I stop that running of 24/7 and only run for 8 hours a day? And if so, low speed or split that up equal time?

As far as determining run times before refilling the liquidator I have kept good records of when I filled and how much each time. I also record the liquidator rotometer setting and TC in the pool. Putting that all together I know that this time of year I set the rotometer at 3.75 and that will put out about 1.75 - 2.0 quarts of 10.5% chlorine per day and maintain a TC of 4.0. So that makes it pretty simple to keep from running out of Chlorine - I just add 5.0 gal every 10 days and that keeps about a 2 gallon reserve in the tank in case I'm gone or forget to add any on time.

 

[chuzie]

Re: Liquidator math

You can only drop a gallon or so at a time (slowly), as the level will creep up above output float. A minute or 2 between gallons is sufficient.